I Found a 1950s Rizz Quiz ☠️

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find the quiz here: archive.org/details/boydatesg...
a deep dive into 1950s dating: • A Deep Dive Into The 1...

what’s your score? 👀

[@asherz5217]

OMG hiiii karolina ❤

[@Tadicuslegion78]

What's lower than Super F?

[@MeritRaXIX]

28

[@AragornElessar]

I got 31 on the boys' side and 23 on the girls' side.

[@SewlockHolmes]

I did it for both the girls and the boys for fun and I'm a 32-ish girl and a 31-ish guy 😂

[@mushroomkid4510]

I love how part of the boys quiz is just like "do you think woman are people???"

[@margaretteragram9235]

It remains to this day a valid concern unfortunately

[@ouroboricscribe3201]

A modern quiz would ask the same question to women. "Are men just walking ATMs and future CS/alimoney checks to you?"

[@SpocksCat]

@@ouroboricscribe3201 Found the incel.

[@NankitaBR]

​@ouroboricscribe3201 Source: voices in my head

[@lenas6246]

probably if incels like you would write it for yourself to get mad, not for actual women@@ouroboricscribe3201

[@idasnderstruphorskjr-bro4160]

"If you don't meet new people how are you gonna get dates?" Karolina, don't hit me like that

[@padawanofconfusion5954]

yeah seriously I felt attacked xD ( still got 30 as a girl 35 as a guy)

[@NankitaBR]

I felt called out 😂

[@MatthewTheWanderer]

@@NankitaBR Me too, lol!

[@pairosocks2163]

I'd argue that the "are you good at dancing" question is only in the boy quiz becouse most dances were expected to be lead by the men.

[@Bildgesmythe]

We had to dance in school. I lied and said it was against my religion. I never did learn to dance 😊

[@MajaBiana]

Yes, you can go a long way as the following person with only knowing the basics and *pretending* that you know what you're doing, but if the leading person isn't good at that dance or dancing in general, the following person can be really good and it'll probably still end up a mess. I've tried both as the following person. For example, the first time I danced a, to me, completely foreign dance, my partner knew the dance and how to lead so well, that I could just follow him and it went smoothly. But one time when I went to a dance class with my then husband and I learned the dance better than him, we couldn't dance well together at all, because he kept leading the wrong way so to speak and messed up the rhythm etc...

[@thebadpoet]

Yes, I used to do a bit of nineteenth century ballroom dance with some friends who were very into it. I had some dance partners who were about as bad as I was and it was fun but messy, no matter which of us was leading. But I danced a rotary waltz with someone who was an incredible dancer and leader and it was exhilarating! He made me a good dancer even though I am objectively not.

[@sugarskanes]

Definitely...Gene Kelly played many sports in high school, but said girls only started to care for him once he got better at dancing.

[@susancoyotesfan]

I’m not a good dancer actually. What I AM, is extremely responsive to being led by a good dancer. He makes me good.

[@RychaardRyder]

"gentlemen, is taking care of your ladies gay?" a 1950s ancestor of a reddit user😭😭😭

[@pipermarau]

i don't need a test to know i'm undateable, my personality is 3 neurodivergent racoons in a trench coat.

[@Bildgesmythe]

I love this!

[@jessicalukram74]

😭😭😭

[@LegendarySimp209]

Kinda harsh to yourself, especially with that wit 😂

[@trexvalleygirl2770]

First, there's plenty of room for visitors under my rock where I prefer to be when I'm feeling socially awkward, etc. You're welcome to dive under any time you need a safe spot. Second, life can surprise you. Here's a short story. I'm 60 years old. I never believed I'd live past 20. Terrible childhood, divorced parents, abuse, extremely shy, socially awkward, fill in the blanks, you've probably heard this before. I always expected not to survive past 20 (you know why). I never allowed myself to dream of marriage, and I believed my family when they told me I was too ugly for anyone to love me. Due to early trauma, I would never be able to have kids. The future was a black void with only one possibility I was the designated daughter who would live with my parents forever and take care of them in their old age (yes, it was a thing in my dad's culture). My sister was the pretty one, my brother was the only boy. And there was me who my parents didn't acknowledge in mixed company. Moving on... Well, I made it to 21. Imagine my surprise at waking up on my 21st birthday realizing I was still here. Now what? I got a job and learned to drive. Then I made it to 31 Now what? I took a leap, quit my job, and went to college to earn my degree. At this school was a 32 year old man who was also a new student. He dropped something on the floor and I picked it up for him. We've been married for almost 30 years. I'm not saying it's been easy or a fairytale. I am saying life can surprise you. I keep my metaphorical rock ready to leap under when I need it. Raccoons in trench coats are always welcome. 💛

[@kathysharp7551]

❤

[@CabinetOfCuriosity]

I find it interesting today’s US “alpha male” boys talk about how men used to be men and almost none of the “be interesting, considerate aspects” of this test from the mid 1950s would be considered by them to be alpha. But also funny that they all think they are all alpha (and it was a flawed study in the first place). But I digress. I must now go learn the art of “the dance.”

[@maryeckel9682]

I appreciate when guys say they're alpha. It helps screen them out before you even interact. 😅 Also, boys in the 50s were very into how they looked and smelled.

[@noelletakesthesky3977]

I took a break from getting ready to go to a ballroom class to read the comments. Dance should be more common!

[@strategicgamingwithaacorns2874]

"Any man who must say 'I am an Alpha Male' is no true Alpha Male."

[@amazinggrapes3045]

People don't actually unironically call themselves "alpha"... right? 😥

[@miahan8988]

@@amazinggrapes3045AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

[@forest_green]

I mean - it wasn't like we had endless supplies of film to portray the kids who weren't well-spoken and the teens who weren't squeaky clean and well dressed. I think there's a sample bias here when we think about eras most of us don't remember. I'm 100% sure there were children who couldn't give eloquent street interviews and teens who stank and dressed like slobs, but people just weren't paying attention to them in the books, film reels, and magazines that survive to this day.

[@junkkitty2009]

Survivorship bias. Unkempt kids were around back then but they weren't going to be treated the same as everyone else which society was largely ok with.

[@stischer47]

Not in schools. The dress codes were very strict. Plus when a teen didn't have the clothes or toiletries to stay clean, the schools, community, and neighbors helped out. Plus there wasn't the stigma of wearing hand-me-downs. My brother was the oldest in my neighborhood and when I, the youngest boy in my family, got something it may have been worn by 2-3 other boys in the neighborhood. It was "new" for them as it was "new" for me. We took care of clothes.

[@annbrookens945]

I was born in 1953 and was the only girl in my family, yet I still grew up in hand me downs! Our community passed clothes back and forth. I'm 71 now and I still remember my 10-months-younger-than-me 4th-grade classmate saying, "oh, that dress you're wearing used to be mine!"

[@maegc9876]

I think there's a bias, yes. I watch from time to time old news on KZbin, and most comments are like "Oh they spoke so well back then", but... I guess it's more complex. The way we speak now and 50 years later has changed obviously, so what we think to be strong language for example might just be usual language back then. Also, being filmed in the 50s was probably more of an event than it is today, when we literally have cameras in our pocket, so maybe we take it more casually. I don't know, I think there are a lot of things that explain it and that we just have a lot of bias !

[@noelletakesthesky3977]

Today, we accept kids being unbathed and not knowing how to read or speak well or even know basic vocabulary. I wish I was kidding about this, but just yesterday I saw a post claiming that grammar rules were never about communication, but about oppressing poor people, and saying we need to push back against grammar. Kids now are passed to the next grade even if they’re already two grades behind. I was a kid of the 80’s and 90’s, and we were expected to be clean to the point that not being clean got you sent home, there were strict dress codes, and we didn’t get passed to the next grade unless we actually passed. It was more strict in the 1950’s. While there were the dirty kids and the kids who didn’t go to school, it wasn’t societally acceptable. Kids who were dirty or sloppy were absolutely not allowed to be in school. Girls had to wear dresses that covered the knees, and boys had to wear trousers, not jeans, but trousers, and t-shirts were undergarments for boys, not outerwear. Hair had to be done, make up was limited. It was strict. And it was attainable even by poor people since hand-me-downs, even with mends, were looked upon in a positive light as resourcefulness, and only the richest of the rich wouldn’t wear hand-me-downs, but those kids were rare. Otherwise, it was seen as crude to throw out clothing that still had wear left in them. Those kids were on the fringe, but would be mainstream today. So no, it wasn’t a matter of film. There were films about the kids who were on the fringe, and there was a stigma against those who weren’t willing to be charitable to help those kids.

[@laurenconrad1799]

I love how this is a fascinating combination of genuinely good common sense and the book being unbelievably judgy. 😂

[@maryeckel9682]

The 50s in a nutshell

[@suzannecontant]

I can add a bit of info for you. My mom was dating in the 50's. Yes, it was super casual. She typically went on double dates and it wasn't uncommon in that situation for teenagers to discover they liked the other person more. (This actually happened and resulted in my mom marrying her date's best friend (my father), lol. All 4 people involved remained friends to their dying day despite living on opposite sides of the US.) Dancing: my mom went to MANY dances and military balls. Dancing was very popular, even with teenagers, and there were several ballrooms around. (I'm from Chicago.) Not tacky dance halls but legit gorgeous ballrooms. It wasn't uncommon for a guy to ask a girl to a ballroom and it not be a date. They just liked the dancing. But the guy was expected to go all out for the occasion (nice steak dinner, wrist corsage for the girl, etc.) To me it sounds like a very formal type of "a date" but my mom always insisted it wasn't and was just something girls did as long as they weren't going steady with someone. You also had a dance card and could dance with other guys while you were there. But you better leave with the guy that escorted you there or you were a hussy. Posture, appearance and being well-spoken: oh, this was a big one with my mom! She was always telling me not to slouch and refused to use any form of "baby talk" with me. That resulted in me being able to conduct fairly good conversations with adults as a small kid. She always dressed me in fairly nice dresses as a child (we're talking late 70's here) and whenever there was a party, whether for a family member or a kid at school, she would put me into what would be deemed today as a princess dress, lol. She'd do my hair up in curls too. I literally looked like a kid from the 50's. 😂

[@nala3055]

This was a joy to read, thank you for sharing!

[@WindowsXP_logon_sound_25yrsago]

The 50s were a different time 😂 The age of cotillion... it's nice tho, really quite nice. The formality of some of these old traditions are nice lol.

[@twincast2005]

That sounds adorable. 😊 My mom was born in 1950, so more of a '60s girl, and she didn't really dress me up in general, but the first handful of times I joined high school classmates for a night out drinking in town here in Central Europe in late 1999 and early 2000 (with many weeks between unlike most of the others who went every weekend) she tried to convince me that a suit would be the right way to dress for the occasion. Absolutely wild to me.

[@VaryaEQ]

Reminds me of the song Save the Last Dance for Me. "Don't forget who's taking you home."

[@SewardWriter]

Sounds like you and I are from the same generation, as are our moms. Mom tried SO hard to make me passable, but I'm a nocturnal gremlin who lives in the shadows. XD There's no way my autistic, introverted, ADHD butt could have managed the dating scene.

[@harmonybarry6182]

With only two possible answers for each question, this is not so much a dating quiz or a personality test as it is a teaching of proper etiquette for the era. Nudging readers towards “correct” behavior, in the form of an engaging quiz, is quite clever!

[@IndieHellCat]

I think you're right - I think this is less about being dateable and more about being the best fit in society

[@emilyonizuka4698]

I find this surprisingly fun. I still love that one question was basically just "are you a pick me or a girl's girl?"

[@maidende8280]

Girls who prefer men to other women are pick mes?

[@f0restangel]

"1955 RIZZ QUIZ" IM CRYING

[@vegemiteguzzler9783]

I'm pretty sure the "Have you washed your favourite sweater in the last month" question, while sounding utterly outrageous to us, has a lot to do with the fact that a sweater in the 50's was likely still made out of 100% wool. I have two 100% wool sweaters myself, and I am always shocked by how seldom I need to wash them. Wool has antibacterial properties and is water resistant, so it won't absorb the sweat and bacteria as easily, and I truly only wash my sweaters once or twice a winter (sounds disgusting, but I promise they don't smell and it's actually better for the fibers to wash less often). Granted, I'm not a sweaty teenage boy, but I think this is probably what's behind that question lol.

[@junkkitty2009]

Additionally, undershirts were standard then. Most of that sweater wasn't in direct contact with the skin.

[@PeanutGalleryKid]

I think the 50's was when acrylics REALLY started taking off, and were relatively cheap, so a lot of them probably wouldn't want to be wearing fuddy duddy old wool like the grandparents when there was this super cool new fabric about.

[@mothdreams]

@@junkkitty2009 yeah, I still wear undershirts during the winter and it keeps me from having to wash them as often

[@dreacranford]

It might also have been over an undershirt and a button-down shirt, more like a cardigan sweater. At least that's what I imagined when they said a whole month.

[@maryeckel9682]

​@@junkkitty2009guys didn't even wear shirts without undershirts. My dad wore them well into the 80s, and never wore tshirts except for yard work. He was a 50s dater.

[@stillhuntre55]

So interesting! My Mum was a teen in the 50s and taught me that if I was on a date in a restaurant, to ask my date what he was ordering. Then look up how much that was on the menu, and make sure what you ordered cost the same or less. "A boy that can't afford steak, won't say he's ordering steak"

[@annbrookens945]

Yes! I was told the same thing!

[@VaryaEQ]

I was never told this, but I automatically do it. I mean, it helps that I get food envy, so usually just order the same thing anyway. 😅

[@OlenaZaremba-vc7th]

The quiz is surprisingly wholesome, it considers much more soft skills and intelligence I expected. And maybe I missed it but it seems like there’s no question like “do you know how to cook and clean” for girls! With the “thank you” letters - in my friend group we often text each other after a hangout something like “thank you for the evening, it was a blast!” or something like that. If it was a party it’d be great to credit the host in the photos you’ll probably post later, or directly text them a short thank you message. I don’t think anyone would consider it weird, I’m pretty sure they will be happy to know their effort was appreciated

[@helenavo4088]

I agree, we do this too in our friend group. We send eachother a message after we did something together. If a friend asked us over we will thank her/ him, if we hanged out (went bowling, to a café, a party,...) we would thank the whole group for the great evening when we arrive safely home. It's like a "good night text". I think it's also nice that only a limited amount of questions was about looks. Yes, beinig clean and being a bit sporty okay. But not one of the questions said something about acne, big breast, tiny waist, big muscles, being tall,...

[@kathysharp7551]

I totally agree. I wish I had learned these skills when I was young. It would have made my teen years so much easier and more enjoyable. I'm so glad to have finally learned much of this in my thirties and forties. My friendships are so much more rewarding and meaningful now.

[@jakobbarger1260]

Imagine if this was modus operandi for Gen Z. Most of this is basically "How well-adjusted are you?"

[@ouroboricscribe3201]

For Gen Z? For everyone more like.

[@LaurokaPlay]

Gen Z really needs to hear that though

[@kathysharp7551]

😂 I'm guessing this is the opinion of a millennial. It just gets worse the older you get.

[@annbrookens945]

I was a young teen in the mid-60s and I bought a book that was similar to this! As an ignorant rural girl with no older sisters, it gave me ideas for how to navigate an expanded, urban social system. One very useful bit of advice was: if you feel awkward or alone, look for others who seem to feel the same and reach out them, strike up a conversation. I did this to a new girl in 8th grade, beginning a life-long friendship!

[@Petty_Mason]

All girls, in America, in the 50’s would’ve taken home economics. A large part of that was about sewing - fabrics and colors. They would’ve expected that styles would last 2 - 3 years or longer.

[@FebbieG]

I believe magazines were also readily available for checkout at public libraries.

[@Petty_Mason]

@@FebbieG yes they were. They were also relatively cheap. Middle class people always had a large array on their coffee tables in central California

[@biteofdog]

I took Home Economics in middle school in the 90s.

[@FebbieG]

@@biteofdog I did in the 00s, but for my mom's generation, it wasn't an elective, it was required.

[@alwaysrootingfortheantihero123]

Their moms, aunts, grandmas, and even some older sisters would teach the girls about a lot of things like fashion, etiquette, and personal finance when it comes to clothes.

[@Kaz7.]

When did people just stop caring about taking the time to straight up teach kids HOW to interact with other people? Including people in conversation, making them feel at ease, and being able to speak to anyone is so important and have been really strongly emphasized in the past, why do we just expect people to basically just figure it out now?

[@amazinggrapes3045]

Oh... oh maybe THAT'S why autism diagnosis rates keep going up...

[@GhostIntoTheFog]

I’m guessing many of those “shy” boys they mentioned were undiagnosed neurodivergents. I wasn’t diagnosed autistic or ADHD until adulthood, and “shy” was often used to describe me as a kid. Actually very progressive, when you think about it, to encourage someone to accommodate a “shy” date, rather than just assume they’re not interested or worth the trouble and give up.

[@trickytrilobite]

16:23 on the topic of leaving your date when one you like better shows up, here’s how my great-grandparents met: my great-grandmother was on a date, and my great-grandfather pulled up on a motorcycle, said “hop on” and she DID. She woulda flunked this quiz, but then I wouldn’t be here to make this comment so maybe it was worth it. (This would have been like the 40s, not 50s so idk how much etiquette differed, but I assume this still wasn’t considered polite lol)

[@CiaLaVirago]

OMG 😭

[@jessicalukram74]

😂😂😂😂

[@SusanYeske701]

Wow, how badly was that date going? Lol. And did she know him at all before she jumped on the motorcycle?

[@trickytrilobite]

@@SusanYeske701probably not great I imagine 😂 and no she didn’t know him

[@VaryaEQ]

Actually, not a date, but that's similar to how I met my partner. Was at an event, and ended up cornered (in the least-creepy, but most socially-inept way) by a guy who's only interest was anime. I look up to see my now partner asking me over to "help" him with something. He didn't actually need me. He just saw I was in an uncomfortable position and helped me out. ❤

[@Ubersaur]

14:50 My mom grew up in the 50s and always told my siblings and I that if a boy is brave enough to ask you out/to dance, then you should be brave enough to accept at least one date/dance. Which really feels like the wrong choice these days LOL

[@cbpd89]

I generally think it's okay to give people a chance if they were willing to put themselves out there, but with some BIG exceptions. If there are any red flags or you really don't want to, trust your gut and say no.

[@peggedyourdad9560]

@@cbpd89 I mean, that's why it's just giving that person a chance and not a full commitment right away, you're vibe checking them.

[@TisiphoneSeraph]

@@peggedyourdad9560 Seconding this, if you give people a shot, you don't think a date or a dance is everything. You keep it in it's context. Even when it's someone you like. Seems healthier. Also I've dated some lovely people I would have originally said no to if I was thinking about a relationship before I'd even been on a date with them.

[@M123Xoxo]

I hate this! The idea that you "owe" a guy a date just because they aren't a literal serial killer (as far as anyone knows, anyway)

[@misstweetypie1]

@@M123Xoxoit’s not “owing” him, it’s putting aside your own preconceived notions and giving them an opportunity to show you who they are. You act like all men are evil lizards unworthy of a chance, which isn’t the case. Most guys are decent people who were freaked as hell just asking you out, and if there isn’t anything obviously wrong with them, then why not? At the very least, you are giving them a helping hand towards becoming a better date, through practice. Most guys get turned down tons, and I expect it’s a little demoralizing. Lots of people meet their future partner by giving people they didn’t expect to like, a chance. I know I did.

[@Seamannon]

"Do you prefer playing some sport medium-well to watching big league stars from the grandstand?" I think it's a good question. This question is about prefering to be an active participator vs a passive consumer in your interests. It's also about humility and accountability - are you the kind of person who wouldn't even attempt something and put in the work to improve a skill, just because someone already does it so much better that you don't see the point of improving yourself? Do you see the value of training if you can't be "the best"? Everyone can just watch a game for entertainment, but it requires effort, time, determination, humility and some social and organisational skills to even be mediocre at playing something actively.

[@AlexaFaie]

My answer would be no to both. Sports are boring to me.

[@Seamannon]

@@AlexaFaie I never saw much value in watching other people run or play some game unless I tried it out on a basic level for myself, so that I knew what was difficult about it and I could fully appreciate how someone else was able to overcome a particular problem. Watching people do random stuff I never experienced personally and knew nothing about seemed rather pointless. I don't get the appeal of watching football or baseball or any other similar games, I have no idea why so many people find them entertaining.

[@panqueque445]

"Written by Gay Head"

[@annbrookens945]

I was thinking Gay Head was a costume designer or something, but the only Gay Head I got on Google was an area of Martha's Vineyard and the famous lighthouse that they MOVED from where it was endangered by erosion.

[@eeyorehaferbock7870]

Butt-Head: “Gay.” Beavis: “Head” Both: “HEHEHEHEHEHEHEH.”

[@VaryaEQ]

​@@annbrookens945You **googled** that?! You're braver than me! 😅😳

[@SlimeMcfly]

There’s actually a whole ‘Who is Gay Head’ page at the end of the magazine. It turns out that Gay Head is actually two people, Margaret Hauser and Jean Fairbanks Merril. They’re listed as Gay Head 1 and Gay Head 2. I guess the magazine thought that the name Gay Head would draw in more readers?

[@benzaiten933]

I'm surprised so much was about personality. even the 'outward appearance' section was about acquirable traits, such as staying clean, posture or flattering clothing, instead of talking about things like height, hair color or bone structure, things which you have no influence over.

[@SchlichteToven]

Whenever I came across advice for looking good in magazines or books from the past, they'd always advise you not to be a redhead or have freckles, which was super offensive. I also read one book from the 1950s that told you to test if your waist is too big by putting your hands around your waist and seeing if your fingers touch - they were like, "if your fingers touch, excellent! If not, you've got work to do!" I still have no idea what that was supposed to mean. If your fingers touch front and back your waist would be like 8 inches.

[@junkkitty2009]

@@SchlichteToven Your waist comment reminds me of my BFF's mom (50s teen) who advised us 12 year olds to roll our thighs with a rolling pin. She didn't explain why but I later found it in a mid-century etiquette book: it was to prevent "cottage cheese" or "saddle bags" on your thighs. My BFF did rolled her thighs religiously; I thought it was preposterous. We both have cellulite regardless of weight or fitness level. But wow, the old books really slammed saddle bags. Such a sin!

[@jekentmenietje]

36:50 I think this was unsurprising. They imply that boys were more attractive to girls when they thought about the future and had plans and goals, while girls were more attractive to boys when they had hobbies and were intelligent and interesting. I think this is still somewhat true today.

[@mariellouise1]

If your slip was showing a friend would say, “it’s snowing down south!” ❄️❄️❄️

[@thebadpoet]

In the early 2000s in middle and high school we would say “it’s snowing in Florida” to let someone know their bra strap was showing! Which makes no sense, but it’s kind of fun that it’s such a direct inheritance from a different kind of visible undergarment.

[@yanagelfand4337]

Wait, what? Why snowing? Why south?

[@AlexaFaie]

​@@yanagelfand4337Slips were generally white and "down south" is a bit of a euphemism (not necessarily of a sexual nature) for the lower half of the body.

[@yanagelfand4337]

@@AlexaFaie okay, thanks. But now I'm confused even more. I thought slips were bra straps... What is it? Sorry, English is not my first language.

[@kaitlynbriggs99]

​@@yanagelfand4337I think its like a dress or skirt they would wear underneath their clothes. I had one when I was little for some of my dresses

[@Carolina57685]

i'm pretty sure shy people have always existed, people weren't just tough all the time back then

[@Amira_Phoenix]

Without proper sex ed they're all shy at some point 😏

[@Carolina57685]

@@Amira_Phoenix creep

[@Ako-bp6gc]

@@Carolina57685I double that statement.

[@briannawalker4793]

11:20 in the US, you would have used the huge home ec program in public schools! Also, libraries at the time offered free sewing and style classes, so it was a lot easier to be informed about fashion and clothes-making back then!

[@CeridwenKeeley]

And you could look at magazines at the library.

[@SchlichteToven]

I think your dateability in this quiz is just how close you come to the ideal girl/boy in terms of character. I think they're trying to teach teens to be respectful and polite (basically by threatening them with being unattractive to the opposite sex). In terms of long-term relationships, whether you are polite/respectful to most people (with the exception of creeps) would mean you're just a nice, thoughtful person, so would be nice and thoughtful to a future spouse as well. If you were only nice to the people who you wanted something from (like the rich, or a good-looking guy and his parents, or a friend you're sucking up to because she's got a pool, you're fake and a future serious relationship would probably also suffer in the long term.

[@anna-maria1412]

Karolina not being able to imagine any boy being shy in the 40s/50s, I immediately thought of Steve Rogers hahah

[@dreacranford]

And the dad from Back to the Future.

[@Historyofstitchery]

You mention that this was obviously written by a woman (the fact that she’s like “boys, do you think women are human?” And the fact that a few of the girl’s questions seem like something that would honestly gain the respect of other girls more so then boys who had to be asked to complete basic hygiene) I’m curious to see what a magazine written for boys/ a dating advice book written by a man would be like. Would they be similar? Would they differ?

[@lollylula6399]

My parents were teens in late 1950's England. My mum told be it was very normal for people to just call on each other - popping to other people's house - family and friends, and that tea parties, house parties, going out were very frequent. Definitely an introverts, like myself, nightmare :) 19:12 4 decades in my family still don't understand me and still seem to have little interest in doing so 😅29:03 My dad was a mechanical engineer and has always prided himself on having super clean hands and finger nails, and still keeps a jar of something that is strong and gets out the grime under the kitchen sink. 29:12 I think the sweaters would have been worn over the top of other items so would never be next to the skin, so a month between washes would make sense. Even to this day my dad typically wears a vest and shirt 90% of the time and then jumpers on top if cold. 29:25 My dad told me he had colour co-ordinated tie/shirt/socks, especially when going out.

[@Myndir]

This was common to do when I was a child/teenager in the UK in the 1990s/2000s, at least where I lived. Sometimes a friend whose family had emigrated years ago would knock on your family's door and ask if you wanted to hang out.

[@DennisBratland]

There's a lot of confirmation bias in looking at old home movies. Old physical media was expensive beyond comprehension for those steeped in digital content. Like in the 80s, if you went away for the weekend and shot two full rolls of 36 exposure film, you'd be a pretty avid photographer. As a kid, I would go to camp carrying, grand total, 3 rolls of 110 film. And each shot was a commitment. So if you film your kid and they're not being funny or interesting, you probably won't keep rolling for an hour hoping to get something good. You'll probably shoot ten times as much of your extroverted kid and not waste time and money annoying your introverted kid trying to get them to be clever in a home movie. And even if a home movie is shot, you might not pay to develop it unless you're sure you had something good. Finding undeveloped film was and still is a treasure hunt in second hand stores. And after all that, it has to survive for 60 or 70 years for you to even know about it. Physical media is heavy and difficult to move around, fragile, easily ruined in storage, and unless you are an obsessive note taker, a box of reels is impossible to simply glance at and know what's all there. Holding it up to the light only gets you so far, and you're not really going to know what you've got. Now a really impressive clip of a 6 year old reciting the Gettysburg Address is going to be talked about by the family, passed around, copied, re-watched every Christmas. Decades later, you're not going to see a lot of content from the 1950s of people being dull, shy, boring or stupid. Did I mention owning a movie camera probably means you're richer, better educated, and less likely to be drinking large quantiles of lead or arsenic in your tap water? Your kids probably are more articulate than average. It's kind of like how if an ugly building has a small fire or storm damage, nobody fights to restore it. They tear it down. If it's beautiful, it gets taken care of, repaired, preserved. And as the centuries go by everyone thinks they built nothing but masterpieces in the old days. Usually if it's ugly it was built by someone who didn't know what they were doing, and couldn't afford good materials, so it's likely to fall down on its own. Nostalgia is a trap.

[@anaquezia5532]

Never thought about it, thank you! I think it also applies to the whole “people dressed better back then” thing, because well although the fabric quality and the way clothes were made was better, at the same time no one will keep a picture (or even shoot it) if they aren't well dressed

[@segbaillie2824]

Survival Bias

[@lonelylittledot]

"Can you tell a joke?" babe, I AM a joke

[@LadyVenus125]

So am I! Slay girly!

[@VaryaEQ]

You're both immediate 40s. Burn those quizzes and get out there. 😂😂😂😅

[@ttintagel]

The 1950 educational film What to Do on a Date (available on KZbin) addresses the topic of shy boys in the 1950s and girls putting them at ease.

[@wildmntflower]

"What if your class was just rubbish?" -- Valid! My poor sister had the worst class! Only two girls in her grade (yes, it was a pretty small school) but half the boys were just objectively bratty and cruel.

[@VaryaEQ]

I think it's not "liking" your classmates in so much as you'd hang out with them. I interpreted it as more being able to tolerate them and work with them when required. I'd still agree that for some kids (I'd say at least one in every class), this is unrealistic.

[@wildmntflower]

@@VaryaEQ sure, and the little bratty and cruel ones were intolerable psychopaths in training.

[@caspenbee]

Posture is absolutely still important in social situations. It continues to be a big nonverbal cue even though we talk about it less. Also they probably did not act more grown-up than us; there is a psychological bias to think young people from older generations look "more grown up" because they're dressing like old people dress today! They used older-sounding language too. And the newsreels that were saved are likely only representative of super presentable kids, not the army of slouching cussing unimpressed kids behind them lol.

[@bricksloth6920]

You didn't have to buy the magazine or books in the 50s. You went to the library. As recently as my own childhood and adolescence, libraries were both a source of information and a place where you could meet a new friend.

[@bricksloth6920]

Oh and bonus. If you meet at the library they're probably a nerd like you. 😬

[@lfgifu296]

I haven’t (obviously) watched the full video or done the Quiz yet, but given my dating record, which includes absolutely no relationship at all, I can predict how it will go😃

[@catacc.]

Obviously, you are ready to marry then

[@lfgifu296]

@@catacc. no trial time needed🙏 going straight to business lmao

[@ttintagel]

My mother had classes in posture, deportment, and elocution in public high school in the early 1960s.

[@ewhitmo1]

This is so interesting to me. My son is in kindergarten and is autistic. He has occupational therapy and speech classes. I wonder what an autistic child's experience would be like if everyone was having the same type of classes...

[@maryeckel9682]

I think posture lessons should come back, especially today with tech neck.

[@Goldlucky13]

i probably commented something similar on your other 50s dating video, but i think it's such a breath of fresh air that their dates were so casual and just a part of socialisation in your age group. i almost wish that there were more social standards that we adhere to now. you make a good point that we've progressed as people to not be polite to the detriment of your own well-being, but gosh i wish people were a bit more courteous and pleasant out in the world. weirdos have ruined casual interactions, i think.

[@vikkizoo1]

I was raised by a woman who dated in the 50’s. There was a lot of carry over from her experience to mine out of expectation. As for the ‘droop’ at the dance…I lived in a very small farming community. The droop smelled and was undesirable, but he came to every dance. I wasn’t expected to be courteous to him but I danced with him at least once at every dance. I wanted him to have a similar experience to the rest of us. (I graduated in 1985) He tells me it made him feel more like one of us. I was expected to be courteous to all adults. My parents would know I was rude to someone before I even got home so… My kids, boys, weren’t even required to hug relatives. 😂 Times are different. 🌈🌈🦋🦋

[@Amira_Phoenix]

Helicopter times... also why wouldn't droops just bathe?

[@vikkizoo1]

@@Amira_Phoenix they had no running water. He used to pick up bottles and cans on the side of the road (to recycle) for food money. To his credit he finished school despite his living conditions and home situation. He joined the service (I can’t remember which branch) went to college, had a family…

[@maryeckel9682]

​@@Amira_Phoenixyou're assuming they could.

[@sharonfleshman6961]

​@vikkizoo1 that is an amazing amount of planning and work for an adolescent. Even to go to the dance, have a career in the military, and college. Good on him.

[@vikkizoo1]

@@sharonfleshman6961 He had an older brother in my older sibs’ class. I can’t remember his name, I can see his face though, he left home as soon as he graduated. That left my classmate to figure it out on his own for two full years. We had a couple of male classmates that were really good to him, they are still friends. ❤️

[@AdryenneP]

Just putting it out there, but from personal experience I’ve found that being courteous and sensitive to the other persons feeling WHILE turning them down firmly has gotten me better luck with those boundaries being respected in turn than aggressively turning someone down. Maybe in later decades being polite got conflated with being unsafe but I don’t think that’s the rule. Definitely yes, sometimes you have to have to shout no to be heard, but I think in general manners still matter - to your own happiness!

[@suem6004]

Glad you are breaking down tropes and stereotypes about the 1950s. You really must read THE LOST ART OF DRESS by Lynda (Linda?) Przybyszewski. She is a historian who studied the actual WOMEN academics who in the 1910-1920 started to shape Home Economics that included practical fashion. These early PhD women "the dress doctors" moulded a generation or two on how to dress with taste, fashion yet practical and in budget. Their home ec textbooks which these 1950s girls used talked about the 'golden ratio', drawing pleasant attention to your face via color, cut, texture..... I think you would LOVE this book. Dr. P. Gave a great history of this era 1910-1960. Also some of the 'they wore heavy make up' refers to starlets and adult women. Not teenagers. Girls could not wear panty hose to school. Too frivolous. School was a serious place even for girls and they needed to dress and look fresh and clean for that 'job' in their life. No sneakers to school. I was the first generation of little girls who could wear slacks to school. That was like 1970. And I had to carry my physical education sneakers with me in a gym bag for gym day. They were never worn around school.

[@jjudy5869]

I was in high school from '66 to '70. Our school was a group of buildings spread out over an 80-acre farm. We could wear 'slacks' IF the wind chill was below 15 degrees (-9.5 °C) or the actual air temperature was below that figure at 7 a.m. Otherwise, wear your dress! I got around it by wearing tights when it got cold.

[@junkkitty2009]

Even in the late '80s, gym shoes were for gym, same with gym clothes, at least in the schools I attended. My mom talked about how she could finally wear pants to school sometime in high school in the late 60s. By the 80's, girls could freely wear pants, skirts, or dresses and nobody cared. I could even wear shorts to my first school! It was a shock when I transferred into a traditional school up north which forbade them. I remember some schools even disallowing non-gym sneakers but I can't recall that after around 1990. High-tops with layers of scrunchy socks had probably stomped out the bans.

[@annbrookens945]

@jjudy5869 : I grew up riding a 1950s-60s school bus for an hour each day one way. The heating system was extremely poor and girls had to wear dresses to school. In winter, we would wear thick tights all day or maybe flannel-lined pants that we would take off when we got to school and put back on before the bus ride home.

[@prettykitty39]

I loved Karolina's reaction noise to Alan Ladd and how she does not even end up answering the question, lol.

[@ebethlouise2201]

When I was a kid, I read my mom and aunt's etiquette books from the 40s. I was desperate for some guidance! But not much applied to the 70s scene.

[@bunhelsingslegacy3549]

"Do you forget what you have on?" Yes. This is wny I never wear short skirts and have eliminated them from my wardrobe. I'll forget I'm wearing them and then, I don't know, go climb something... or sit like I usually sit and suddenly I'm getting comments on my poor choice of undergarments... And I just read out the one about looking up the etiquette for an event to my husband and he said, "Of course, we had a 300 page book on etiquette in the house, didn't you?" I'm like WTF, really? No wonder I have no manners.

[@annbrookens945]

There was an etiquette book in my house, too! And I read to cover to cover when I was 12.

[@bunhelsingslegacy3549]

@@annbrookens945 My house didn't, or I'd have read it, at 12 I'd read anything, I think I went cover to cover on Grey's Anatomy...

[@yuaelt]

I think the "forgetting what you have on" part could mean you're dressed appropriately enough for the occasion that you don't feel conscious of your clothes. A.k.a. don't wear a ball gown to a disco. As for your date-ability being affected by whether you can spend an evening alone, I suppose this is a polite way of asking "Are you not desperate to get dates all the time?" or "Can you entertain yourself on your own, and let the other person have their private time too?". Then, giving your order to the waiter incorrectly could be, for example: ordering for yourself first (you should list your date's order before your own), ordering for both of you without asking your date what they wish to have, taking too long to decide and sending the waiter back multiple times, being disrespectful to the waiter, etc.

[@BladeRedwind]

I measure whether something is gossip by the intent behind it. If you intent is to vent, and the information isn't going to harm the other person because who your venting to is a trustworthy confidant, then no. If your intent is to work through something by venting to someone else, and then go back to the person you are venting about and solve the issue, then no. If your intent is to warn someone about that person and you know that it's 100% true, then no. Basically, if your topic of chatter serves no purpose other than to talk crap about someone for your own entertainment, then yes it's gossip.

[@MsHedgehog]

It is interesting that the quiz is more or less asking 'how stable a partner would you be?'

[@alexander_yoko]

I think these quizzes are not necessarily supposed to be taken seriously, but some of these questions are good for introspection. Also, as a guy, if a guy (or anyone) gets annoyed when you say "no", they're not worth it. They're only gonna get worse.

[@CiaLaVirago]

"Gay Head" the way I SCREECHED

[@StellaWaldvogel]

That bit about "throwing fuel on a dying conversation" - it's a good skill when it functions as intended. But I worked with a lady who would come in the break room, and if it was quiet she'd inevitably single somebody out and say "SO - how are you doing today?" It was more annoying than anything. Sometimes people just wanted quiet time, or they might be reading. Eventually everybody started referring to it as "getting zapped": "I got zapped at lunch today."

[@padawanofconfusion5954]

we actually had teachers expect us to rise when they enter the room (germany, younger than you) one even insisted on leaving and entering the room until we all rose in time and greeted him properly

[@miahan8988]

Slovakia is the same to this day.

[@mushroomkid4510]

Bro, in the girl section i got 22 and in the boys section I got 23. I got humbled...

[@TwoCatsInLondon]

Put them together and a bi person will love you 😊

[@aceofcat5001]

Same😂

[@antascless1490]

I think quizzes like this are nice way to gauge where you stand in terms of public opinion and expectations without embarrassment or humiliation. Like that's also why there was so much personality questions. Nice way to bring up that you're maybe shallow. And same goes with cleanliness, being to rowdy or whatever

[@mumemic]

I love "jet propulsion" as an example of things boy are interested in

[@jasminv8653]

I actually think we'd be better off if people were comfortable with being mediocre at whatever personal activity - be it sports, art, dance, singing, what have you - rather than just give up all that for public spectacle. It's a good sign in a person imo if they're capable of doing a little something skill-based, even if a little poorly, just for fun and personal health.

[@junkkitty2009]

I thought that was a super interesting question. I enjoy watching performances, not so much sports, but whenever I watch either, I wish I were engaging in that activity. I don't need to be pro; I'd just want to be having the fun I perceive the people I'm watching are having. So I would rather clumsily toss a ball around with some friends than go sit and watch over-paid pros do it. I see it as an "action/engaged" vs "passive/observant" question.

[@duck1590]

I feel like most of these questions weren't really about dateability but about educating teens under a disguise of romantic advice. For example, the "stick to your opinion thing" - I'm not sure it makes you more dateable. What it does do is prevent you from becoming a people pleaser and ending up in a miserable manner. But it applies to most questions, and I feel like most teen magazines in the early 2000s (I don't know about now, I'm 30) did the same.

[@maryel5398]

These questions are definitely for middle to upper class people. Lower to lower-middle class folks were simply not able to do many of those things based on time or money alone. However, the quiz in general seems to be “are you a decent person in general” in most ways. I’m good with that.

[@karis7649]

I live in a small island/village of around 1000 ppl, without any regular police and I’ve always felt that gossip (social judgement and ostracism) sort of fulfills the role of policing

[@elizabethdavis1696]

I love these 50s dating videos you’re doing!!!

[@noelletakesthesky3977]

It’s odd to realize, but the past was more progressive in a lot of ways than the modern era. I have magazines from the 1930’s, RELIGIOUS magazines, stating that birth control, while admitting it was controversial, was a matter that should be left to a woman, her husband, and her doctor. I know that we’d say it’s between a woman and her doctor today, but I think most of us would agree that there needs to be discussion with a partner too to make sure everyone’s on the same page. Yet access to birth control is at risk now, with religious nutjobs wanting it banned, whereas back then, it was a private matter.

[@kittymae335]

I think we should bring back 'in a moonlight mood'

[@nolleg3035]

I absolutely adore those tipes of videos talking about the culture and society in early 20 century.

[@voyance4elle]

The "Can you spend an evening by yourself without being bored" to me actually is a very important question! Because it hints to the question of are they an interesting person that has their own thoughs and dreams and hobbies and interesting stuff to do? Or do they derive everything from other people?

[@janerkenbrack3373]

"The dance." I think in this context of interest in the fine arts, saying "the dance" is to distinguish performance dancing, like ballet or musical theater from casual dancing. The ballet isn't a sock hop. As the entire quiz, I say it sounded pretty reasonable for the day. They were surely trying to help teenagers navigate the complexity of social life. And the author didn't strike a patronizing tone. The questions seemed to make it easy to figure out what the right answer should be, and drew a bead on clear musts, such as cleanliness, grooming, courtesy, and self reflection. You are correct in surmising that Gay Head was a woman, but I really wish this had been written by a man. Only because I would like to think that at least some men in that day would right from such a perspective.

[@persephonebasilissa5109]

Yeah, some of us did learn that being as friendly to our dad's friends as to our gang was not in fact the safe option. We can do without that societal expectation.

[@peggedyourdad9560]

It's generally considered best to be polite and respectful to the parents of your friends and dates. I certainly wouldn't like someone who was rude to my mother. I'm sorry that you and others have experienced what you have, but that's on those adult men who could not conduct themselves properly. They would've probably been the same if you weren't as friendly to them.

[@krazila234]

Lol thats funny from someone named​@peggedyourdad9560 . They were referring to their fathers friends, not their friends fathers. Being polite is one thing, but being buddy buddy like they were a gal pal is way too much. And you don't know who is going to hurt you until they do

[@Narangarath]

​@@krazila234 Sure, but the solution is not to assume everyone will. Just as you wouldn't keep being friends with someone who creeps you out, you wouldn't be friendly with them when they were your parent's friend. Everyone needs to stop thinking people didn't have any common sense back then 🙄

[@michaelm7989]

Great video! 10/10

[@peggedyourdad9560]

@@krazila234 Why were the father's friends involved? I don't see that making sense unless their friend's fathers were friends with OP's father. Either way, the second part of my reply still stands, it's on the adult men to conduct themselves properly and not on juveniles to try and act in a way that may or may not repel inappropriate advances from grown adults who know better.

[@terezajankovska7716]

In Czech Republic students still have to stand up when a teacher enters the class. It's a form of greeting. I would imagine that in Poland it's still a thing, too.

[@lucreziaromano6482]

We do this in Italy too! At least I know I did lol (not so long ago)

[@VideosForYou90]

I did this in Germany as well (it depended on the teacher though)

[@natalieanimal4063]

In Serbia, it's also customary. If you don't, what will happen is usually not worse than being scolded, and some teachers won't pay attention. One of mine even disliked it and told us we didn't have to. But it is officially a rule.

[@MiffoKarin]

According to this quiz I'm not quite dateable, which makes sense since I'm an introvert. Luckily my husband is one too, so we're perfectly comfortable just doing our own thing in the same room. 😅

[@kerriemckinstry-jett8625]

LOL, same.

[@jjudy5869]

Ah, a match made in heaven.

[@obliviouscandybar]

This quiz does actually have a lot of good advice for teens about learning to converse, show an interest in others, and not breaking appointments you've already made. Some of it is definitely dated, but i had friends growing up who could have used this.

[@vyckygy6626]

A genuinely interesting quiz. I actually think I'd like to learn some of their indirect advise. Not necessarily to be likable to others, but to become more likable to myself, to gain some confidence. Even the good posture makes miracles to your self-esteem if you can pull it off without straining yourself. Thank you for sharing!

[@ultimateskillchain]

The one about asking if you keep yourself "caller-ready" even when just chilling at home made me laugh, but then I realised that if I lived in any previous era (going back way before the 50s), that would be the norm and I certainly would. It's only a very modern concept that it's rude to drop in without calling (or, let's be real, texting/messaging) first, and respecting people's space and right to decline. I tried to score myself honestly and got 26, so just barely datable 🤣 which is fine. I do think that more emphasis was clearly placed on someone's entire personality and character as criteria for dating than it is today.

[@PeanutGalleryKid]

On everyone looking put together and good, social pressure to be presentable was pretty damn fierce, but you can catch glimpses in community photos of rural events and things like that. It's also hard for us looking at them now to always recognise all the different little social markers of people's clothing and hair. I can look at someone now and see the differences between 'fashionable athleisure sweatsuits' and 'these are my pjs covered in dog hair sweatsuits', or 'artfully messy teased braids' and 'don't look at me I haven't seen my hair brush in 3 days'. But somebody looking at it in 70 year's time might think that we all look pretty much the same.

[@youtubecomments2740]

35:20 You don't control if your crush hooks up with someone else You do control if you get jealous about that. A lot of these questions seem to be indirectly asking if you have a calm, friendly, and conscientious personality.

[@thebadpoet]

My great grandma was from Norway and wore her very long hair in two braids crossed over the top of her head. For special occasions, she would go to the hairdresser and have the front of her hair Marcel waved, so she could have fancy braids. My Mom was born in 1952, and remembers walking to the hairdresser with her as a kid.

[@lorainclark9279]

The whole well dressed on a budget thing was taught in Home exec in the 50’s. All good training to be the perfect wife.

[@Kittywitchthesecond]

For the fun of it, I did both sections of the quiz, and I passed as dateable as a boy but not as a girl.

[@wherefancytakesme]

I remember thank-you cards! Never heard "bread and butter letters", but there used to be thank-you cards my parents and I would send after every birthday, that came with most invitations.

[@TheHopeDreier]

You can be polite while saying no. There is a big difference between 'No thank you.' and 'Ewwwww.' Dance with who brung ya.

[@spacecatandthekittens1954]

I get the feeling that this should be required reading for incels.

[@BryonyClaire]

Pleasantly surprised by this! It is sad we're still facing the same issues, i like how introspective the quizzes were though

[@alexwhitelaw2003]

I love how you do these snippets of the past

[@Patchouliprince]

“Do you usually have a good time at parties?” Me, who has only ever attended birthday parties :,,)

[@woin9361]

30:58 I used to host all the time and I appreciated those little notes so much! (Of course they were text messages mostly, but it was not overwhelming and so nice nonetheless!) So go for it ❤

[@Bee_friend]

Oh! I have a book by Gay Head called "Hi there, high school"! 😅 guess the author wasn't a one hit wonder 😂

[@thomasdamours7325]

32 on the girl quiz, 35 on the boy quiz. I did surprisingly well. I think it's mostly because I'm very polite. big "nice young man" energy. Explains why grandmas like me so much.

[@the_only_living_ghost]

I read some of the notes and comments in my grandparents old yearbooks from the 1950s and they were quite enlightening. The way people talked about each other and to each other is so different than today. They weren’t just peers, everyone was your friend and knew things about you. Everyone knew everyone and they all had inside jokes, and it’s such a far cry from h.a.g.s lol.

[@baylorsailor]

The question are you able to spend an evening alone is important because it says a lot about a person's personality. Typically one who can't spend time alone is lacking hobbies and interests outside of gossiping and social events. Who wants to marry someone they have to entertain 24/7?

[@newtkeeper]

Boys got asked if they were a good dancer b/c back then men were supposed to lead, so a girl was supposed to be good at following his lead.

[@tric5122]

Went to private school and had to wear ties daily. And yes there is a proper way to be stylish in how the tie/shirt/sock pair, as well as a the shoes and belt and pants.

[@laurenconrad1799]

I’ve been on many terrible dates and a few great ones and I don’t think being able to hold a conversation is a skill one person has so much as a thing 2 specific people can do with each other or not. If the conversation does not flow naturally, it’s not because we’re not skilled. It’s because we’re just not compatible and there is no chemistry. lol

[@aksez2u]

True, but some people constantly dominate a conversation, or conversely, can't hold up their end of the conversation. There are skills and elements of self-awareness that can make you a better conversationalist in general.

[@laurenconrad1799]

So true. If I’m in a big crowd of people I’ve never met, if they’re kinda close to my age and we have something in common, I’ll be great and I can totally hold a conversation. But if there’s no one there I feel that type of connection with, I’m hopeless and will bury my head in a book or my phone. 😂

[@sharonfleshman6961]

I think it is a bit of both. I have learned to ask interesting questions and tell a few funny stories but you can still tell when the conversation flows and people are really comfortable.

[@sarahwatts7152]

My grandmother made her younger sister go to college in the 50s because her sister didn't see the point. The convincing factor was a frat party Nana took her sister to...

[@mon4711]

Oh boy this is going to be fun ☕️

[@eternaldoorman5228]

I'm not scoring high on this, ...

[@kaltespopcorn4087]

Maybe women don’t compliment men so much anymore because men could read a simple compliment as being more interested in them and a „leading them on“ situation 🤷‍♀️ I give plenty of compliments to men I feel save with.

[@tuanoini]

Karolina you're so wholesome, I love your videos ❤️ Your takes on different subjects are enjoyably original! I admire your knowledge and passion ✨

[@emmamariacasalena8006]

I tried it, out of curiosity, and got 27 points as well. It was fun, and I love how you explained some of the questions.